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Selected Verse: 2 Thessalonians 1:11 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
2Th 1:11 |
King James |
Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Wherefore--Greek, "With a view to which," namely, His glorification in you as His saints.
also--We not only anticipate the coming glorification of our Lord in His saints, but we also pray concerning (so the Greek) YOU.
our God--whom we serve.
count you worthy--The prominent position of the "You" in the Greek makes it the emphatic word of the sentence. May you be found among the saints whom God shall count worthy of their calling (Eph 4:1)! There is no dignity in us independent of God's calling of us (Ti2 1:9). The calling here is not merely the first actual call, but the whole of God's electing act, originating in His "purpose of grace given us in Christ before the world began," and having its consummation in glory.
the good pleasure of, &c.--on the part of God [BENGEL].
faith--on your part. ALFORD refers the former clause, "good pleasure of his goodness," also to man, arguing that the Greek for "goodness" is never applied to God, and translates, "All [that is, every possible] right purpose of goodness." WAHL, "All sweetness of goodness," that is, impart in full to you all the refreshing delights of goodness. I think that, as in the previous and parallel clause, "calling" refers to GOD'S purpose; and as the Greek for "good pleasure" mostly is used of God, we ought to translate, "fulfil (His) every gracious purpose of goodness (on your part)," that is, fully perfect in you all goodness according to His gracious purpose. Thus, "the grace of our God," Th2 1:12, corresponds to God's "good pleasure" here, which confirms the English Version, just as "the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ" is parallel to "work of faith," as Christ especially is the object of faith. "The work of faith"; Greek, (no article; supply from the previous clause all) work of faith"; faith manifested by work, which is its perfected development (Jam 1:4; compare Note, see on Th1 1:3). Working reality of faith.
with power--Greek, "in power," that is, "powerfully fulfil in you" (Col 1:11). |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Wherefore also we pray always for you - See the notes, Th1 1:2.
That our God would count you worthy of this calling. - Margin, "or, vouchsafe." The meaning is, "that he would regard you as worthy of this calling;" see the notes on ver. 5. Of this calling; see the notes, Eph 4:1. The "calling" here, is that which had brought them into the kingdom, and led them to become Christians.
And fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness. - That is, make the work of salvation complete and effectual. Oldshausen has well expressed the sense: "May God fill you with all that good which is pleasing to him." The thoughts in the passage are:
(1) that the purpose toward them on the part of God was one of "goodness" or benevolence;
(2) that there was a state of mind which would be regarded by him as pleasing, or as his "good pleasure;" and,
(3) that Paul wished that this might be accomplished in them. He desired that there might be in them everything which would be pleasing to God, and which his benevolence was fitted to secure.
And the work of faith - The work which faith is adapted to produce on the soul; see Jo1 5:4-5.
With power - Effectually, completely. The apostle prays that so much power may be exerted as will be sufficient to secure the object. The work of religion on the soul is always represented in the Bible as one of power. |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Wherefore (εἰς ὃ)
Better, to which end. Comp. Col 1:29. The end is, "that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God," Th2 1:5. The same thought is continued in Th2 1:11.
Count - worthy (ἀξιώσῃ)
Comp. Ti1 5:17; Heb 3:3; Heb 10:29.
Your calling (τῆς κλήσεως)
Including both the act and the end of the Christian calling. Comp. Phi 3:14; Th1 2:12; Eph 4:1.
All the good pleasure of his goodness (πᾶσαν εὐδοκίαν ἀγαθωσύνης)
Wrong. Paul does not mean all the goodness which God is pleased to bestow, but the delight of the Thessalonians in goodness. He prays that God may perfect their pleasure in goodness. So Weizscker, die Freude an allem Guten. The Rev. desire for εὐδοκίαν is infelicitous, and lacks support. Ἁγαθωσύνη goodness (P. see on Rom 3:19) is never predicated of God in N.T. In lxx, see Neh 9:25, Neh 9:35. Ἑυδοκία good pleasure, delight, is a purely Biblical word. As related to one's self, it means contentment, satisfaction: see Sir. 29:23; Ps. of Sol. 3:4; 16:12. As related to others, good will, benevolence. Luk 10:21, Eph 1:5, Eph 1:9; Phi 1:15; Phi 2:13; Ps. of Sol. 8:39. |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
All the good pleasure of his goodness - Which is no less than perfect holiness. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
We pray - that our God would count you worthy - It is our earnest prayer that God would make you worthy, αξιωσῃ, afford those continual supplies of grace by his Holy Spirit, without which you cannot adorn your holy vocation; you are called into the Christian Church, and, to be proper members of this Church, you must be members of the mystical body of Christ; and this implies that you should be holy, as he who has called you is holy.
Fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness -
1. The goodness of God - his own innate eternal kindness, has led him to call you into this state of salvation.
2. It is the pleasure of that goodness to save you unto eternal life.
3. It is the good pleasure; nothing can please God more than your receiving and retaining his utmost salvation.
4. It is all the good pleasure of his goodness thus to save you; this he has amply proved by sending his Son to die for you, beyond which gift he has none greater. In this, all the good pleasure of his goodness is astonishingly manifested.
5. And if you be faithful to his grace, he will fulfill - completely accomplish, all the good pleasure of his goodness in you; which goodness is to be apprehended and is to work by faith, the power of which must come from him, though the act or exercise of that power must be of yourselves; but the very power to believe affords excitement to the exercise of faith. |
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
35 For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.
25 And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.